Hi !!!!

I'm glad you made it thru the surgery.

I also have had a lot of trouble with reflux coming up at night and getting into my lungs. Nasty !! Usually 2-3 hours to cough it back up. And does it burn!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally got fed up and got a "crank-up" bed. Mine is a Craftmatic king size. The king size has 2 controls. so my wife can adjust her side independently of my side.

Getting a new bed may seem extreme, but the bed WORKED!!!!!!

I use the remote to set my head of bed height to what works for me. I have gone from reflux weekly to 1 or 2 times per year. Sometimes, in a heavy sleep, I slide my way down the slope of the bed to where I am not propped up high enough. Then comes reflux. I have trained myself to, when I turn over, haul myself up the bed to where I need to be.

This may sound like a lot of work, but it is not, really. It beats the heck out of getting reflux down your windpipe any day of the week.

See if your Gastro doc, or whomever, will write a prescription for the bed. Hopefully, your insurance may pay for it. Even if they don't, it's worth it.

I have a "wedge" pillow for travel. It is so-so at best. I don't travel much anymore. Frankly, I don't want to get far from my bed.

Congrats again on getting this far. Hope this helps.

All the best,

Fred

Fred: Thanks so much for your comment. I hadn't even thought of that. Best to you. ML

I have to ask are you having acid reflux issues during the day or just when you are sleeping and only mainly if you're sleeping flat?

The reason I ask is I don't take anything for acid reflux because I don't have any issue with it, but if I sleep flat that yuckie burning stuff will come up my throat, which is never worth sleeping flat :-) I should research more but I'm thinking it's bile and that since our stomach is in our chest now and as a tube that, that's why it won't really work sleeping flat for us much. It's just too close to our throat...and at the same level (I suppose).

At any rate after my surgery, my surgeons told me I wouldn't need anything anymore for acid reflux - like it wouldn't (couldn't) be an issue anymore. My gastro didn't agree at first but after a couple months, said try it without it and let's see. If you have acid reflux we'll put you back on something. I never did. So, I don't take anything like Nexium or prednisone, etc.

But, I do need to sleep inclined. And, yes, I did have issues with my shoulder bothering me (due to my arm slipping off the wedge pillow during the night) and since I'm asleep and don't realize it, it was I guess pulling against my shoulder. I, also, wake up sometimes with my hand numb. I shake it out and it comes alive. The first time I was afraid I was having a stroke. I was so relieved it was more than likely the way the elevation was affecting it. Now, I just pile a whole bunch of pillows at the top of my bed and try to stay up on them at night. Seems they work better for me than the wedge pillow did.

I've heard that they sell those blocks that raise beds (even cheaply) and have thought about getting some of them to raise the head of the bed. I think someone said you can even stack them on each other and have two on each side.

I have a hospital bed that was used for my husband that I can always fall back on, if I want and recliners are not a bad idea sometimes. When I stay with my Mom that's usually what I do. Just keep experimenting because I only had one case where I actually woke up coughing from mine and it was not a pleasant experience - scary to me. Something I hope, definitely not to repeat. Other times I'd just bolt out of bed and take a piece of hard candy to help get rid of that awful burning and taste in my throat. But, fortunately, I've only had the latter happen about 6 times over a 2 year period, so that's not so bad.

Like all of us, I'm sure we want to do whatever we can to protect our new made esophagus and stomach :-) Good luck finding what will work for you. Keep at it :-) I wish you the best! Brenda

Brenda----thanks for the advice....super helpful....i only have it when i lie down...ML.

Hi. I just joined the group and saw your note. I have also had trouble with bile coming up into my throat at night since the surgery almost 10 months ago. An inexpensive solution that has helped me was to simply put 3-4" tall wood blocks under the posts at the head of my bed. I also sleep with two pillows under my head. The gastroenterologist also advised me to eat early in the evening -- several hours before going to bed. I occasional still have the problem, but usually only when I eat too much too late.

Thanks, I'm going to have to get those blocks and try them. I usually sleep pretty well on all those pillows, but I bet I'd sleep even better with the bed raised a bit and a couple pillows. Thanks for the reminder....now where is my to do list...to add it :-)

Brenda:

As you know, I had the surgery about 18 months ago and I still get reflux once in a while at night. I also use 4"/6" blocks under my bed and sleep with two pillows. I also try to eat at least 3-4 hours before I go to bed. The Dr. also said to not drink anything for at least 2 hours before bedtime. While this works most of the time for me I still spend an occasional part of a night in my recliner (about once every month or two). Also suggest you pay attention to what you eat. I know garlic almost always assures me of a night in the recliner.

There is also a company in California that makes foam pads to order the full size of your bed. I use one of these 4" thick at the head down to 1/4" at the foot in my RV as I can't raise the head of the bed.

Good Luck.

Bob

I use a wedge with two pillows on top of it and have trained myself to stay firmly on my back partially upright. I also use a couple of neck rolls on either side so that my arms don't flop down uncomfortably. One more suggestion is to chew several Tums just before retiring. I'm also on 2 Prilosec a day. Altogether, reflux hasn't returned in months! Good luck to you!!